Town Hall News

(Reuters) – Russia has struck a deal with neighbouring Belarus to station tactical nuclear weapons on its territory, Tass news agency quoted President Vladimir Putin as saying. The U.S. Department of Defense said there were no indications that Russia was preparing to use nuclear weapons after Moscow’s announcement. BATTLEFIELD * Ukrainian forces have managed to blunt Russia’s offensive in and around the embattled eastern city of Bakhmut, where the situation […]

By Joe Cash, Gustavo Palencia and Ben Blanchard BEIJING/TEGUCIGALPA/TAIPEI (Reuters) -China established diplomatic ties with Honduras on Sunday after the Central American country ended its decades-long relationship with Taiwan, while Taiwan’s foreign minister accused Honduras of demanding exorbitant sums before being lured away by Beijing. The ending of ties with Taiwan had been expected after the Honduran foreign minister travelled to China last week to open relations and President Xiomara […]

By Timour Azhari BEIRUT (Reuters) -Lebanon woke up in two time zones on Sunday amid an escalating dispute between political and religious authorities over a decision to extend winter time for a month. Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati decided on Thursday to roll clocks forward an hour on April 20, instead of entering daylight savings time on the last weekend of March as is usually the case in Lebanon, Europe […]

OSLO (Reuters) – Norway’s $1.3 trillion sovereign wealth fund, one of the world’s largest investors, will vote in favour of the UniCredit remuneration package, it said on Sunday. The Italian bank is due to hold its annual meeting of shareholders on March 31. UniCredit shareholders are asked to approve a new pay structure for CEO Andrea Orcel that offers a 30% rise if the bank beats a wide set of […]

NOVI SAD, Serbia (Reuters) – Swiss striker Renato Steffen took what he saw as a last chance in the Switzerland team and scored a hat trick to ensure a winning start to their European Championship qualifying campaign on Saturday. Steffen netted his three goals in the first 29 minutes as they stormed into a half-time lead, and eventually won 5-0, away against Belarus, in a match played behind closed doors […]

TOKYO (Reuters) – A Japanese man detained in China this month is a senior official of Astellas Pharma Inc, Kyodo news agency reported on Sunday citing a company spokesperson. The company did not disclose details of the official but its spokesperson said it was seeking information through Japan’s foreign ministry, the news agency said. Reuters was not able to reach a spokesperson for the Japanese company. Kyodo and other Japanese […]

By Dan Williams JERUSALEM (Reuters) – A top lawmaker from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party echoed on Sunday a call by the defence chief to pause a contested judicial overhaul, and raised the possibility that the government’s parliamentary majority could be eroded. Dissent from the premier’s own party and cabinet has compounded months of unprecedented mass protests by Israelis who fear the package of reforms could endanger court […]

By Dan Peleschuk KYIV (Reuters) – A top security adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Sunday that Russian plans to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus would destabilise that country, which he said had been taken “hostage” by Moscow. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the decision on Saturday, sending a warning to NATO over its military support for Ukraine and escalating a standoff with the West. Although the […]

By Dan Peleschuk KYIV (Reuters) – A top security adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Sunday that Russian plans to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus would destabilise that country, which he said had been taken “hostage” by Moscow. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the decision on Saturday, sending a warning to NATO over its military support for Ukraine and escalating a standoff with the West. Although the […]